Filing system



Aug. 3, 1943. M. GRUNT 2,326,029

FILING SYSTEM Filed Oct. 31, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 3, 1943. GRUNTFILING SYSTEM Filed Oct. 51, 1941 2 sheets-sheet 2 ness.

Patented Aug. 3, 1943 FILING SYSTEM; Max Grunt, Summit, Nil."

'3 Application October 31 I 9 means This invention relates toanarrangement .for

' keeping and filing records and more particularly.

to a supporting structure adaptable as a work desk simulating a more orless conventional ofiice desk including readily accessible and operable.

mechanism materially simplifying handling of records of variablethickness and weight.

' In record keeping, it is desirable that, wherever possible, loose-leafor detachable leaf prepared sheetsbe employed .for ready ientry,shifting and filing and refiling. Depending upon the nature of thebusiness to which the records may relate, not only may a plurality ofreadily accessible units or independent volumes be-desirable but thesemay vary considerably in weight and thick- Obviously, some of theserecords may'requirefrequent handling, while others may be employed atonly intermittent periods where ref'erwith little time loss andexpenditure ofeffort'on' the part ofthe record keeper or anyoneinspectit isone object of the present invention to provide areadilyaccessiblecentralized arrangement simulating an oifice desk ortable providing a compact unit providingboth for exterior visible filingand for concealed or inaccessible filing where it may be desirable toprevent inspection of certain recordsby unauthorized persons. To

this end, there is provided a desk in'general hav-" ing the appearanceof a conventional ofiice'desk embodying a substantial work surface and aplurality of filing and utility drawers-which may, if-desirable, besecured and controlled from a central general utility drawer which mayin turn be locked to secure all drawers in locked condition.

- Another object resides in the provision of comparatively simple filingmechanism having. features of ready attachment'to and detachment mayhave ready mobility relative to the desk for easier access forconsultation, making of entries, removal, shifting and such other actsas may be from a master or main'supporting rack which lsinseriai No.417,396

performed in the course of general. use so that an operator or user maybring the rack closer to him while seated at the desk or may shift thesame away from him toprovide him with a work-1 keeping recordsif;necessary.orrexpedient. Thus, there isjprovideda movable main rack inthe nature of an open face carrier preferably of a width equalito,slightlyless than oreven greater than the longitudinal extent or lateralwidth of the desk top. To avoid unduly limiting the. surface of;therdesk top and thus provide a maximum workingsuriace, the rackis-shiftable on guide rails or tracks supported on. the desk top at thelateral edges. support to which one or moreflfiling unitsmay be readilyapplied and attached and which further mayprovide for quicklateraldisplacementto render any of the units shiftable to a position to wardthecenter or nearthecenter 'of the desk top. At the same time, thearrangement per-. mits of disposing the units on the rack remote fromthe operator so as to be out of the way when other routine ,matters maybe more advanta ge'ously performed on a broad surface.

- A further object resides in, the provision of expansible unitlending'themselves for quick assembly ofj'filing forms and mounting anddismounting from the rack above mentioned. This is accomplished byreadily variable length supporting studs or posts, quickly assembliablefastening elements for securing files together and to the rack, thelatter securement or attachment also being effected in such a mannerasto so support thelfiling" units that they may" be readily shifted topositions rendering any one accessible for opening or separating ofindividual file sheets in open b-ook fashion and this with a'miniinurnamount of eifort. Preferably, the attachment means joining the um'ts tothe rackare arranged to providea fairly balanced mount 'so that only afraction of the weight of the unit and contents need be bodily movedforjexposure of the files.

Another object is directed toemployment of the desk drawers for similar,filing and keeping racks having all the advantages of the visible orexposed files, yet, while providing for use of the entire interior ofthe drawers, Willnot render these drawers unduly bulky and awkward inh'andling. The arrangement provided "for drawer application is suchthatonly slight modification of a conventionall constructed deskdraweris necessary for itsaccommodation. j

A further object contemplates the provision of This carrier includes asuitable ment to or detachment from the rack or drawer may be effected.r

Other and further objects will appear from the following detaileddescription of several fpreferred embodiments of the inventionillustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a frontal elevation of a desk embodying a movable, visible,external surface support carrying filing units incorporating featuresofthis invention; as well as drawers likewise including normally invisiblefiling units;

Figure 2 is a plan View of the arrangement shown in Figure 1 with someof the filing-units removed and certain of the drawers openedtoillustrate concealable filing units both file-containing and empty;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view takenl substantially along theline 3-3 of Figure 1;

i liiguree'is an enlarged elevation of adeta'ch: 'abie': filing" unit.embodyingv features of this in-- vention'with partsshown in section; t

' Figure-5. is aside elevation of ithe'unit shown.

in-Figure lg. s

Figure 6 is a fragmentary'section of one end of the filing :unit shownin'Figures-4 and 5,vthe. section being taken :along the line-6 6 ofFigure. 5 I Figure 7is a further 'enlarged section of the c filing unittaken along'th'e' linefi-l of Figured;

' Figure=8 is a section'alongthe line 8---8: of'

Figure l;- s 1 V Figure' 9aisi-an enlarged side elevation of a' drawerembodying features of this invention with a p'OltlOIlillflleoflILSGCtiOll;

' taliligure 1G is'anenlarged fragmentary elevation of aasupportingbraclze't or plate associated with I the; drawer structureshown in Figure 9; and

Figure ll is analternative-quickly manipulatable: supporting connectionfor the individual units employed in attaching'theseunits toa oom-IdlGl'l support:

Referring more particularly to the drawings,

@tliere is discloseda desk 23 having-a preferably flames side 2 and sidedepending drawer carry-' ing sections Z-E terminating in floor engaginglegs E3 *Thesese'ctions 22' may be suitably united'by 1 connectingportions-2'4 and 25,"the former serving as a foot-rest, while thelatter; disposed'ad'jacent teand under the top Ei'may serve-'asfa' widedrawersupporting" element carrying a general utility 'drawerfi. DrawerITIGmay-be provided with a*pu1lknjob 2-7 and, if desired, with any typeof suitable-or conventional key lock 28 whereby the drawer maybe securedin closed positionfrom unauthoriaedoperation or opening.- j j'Sidesections -22fmayeach be provided with one or more drawers 23', whichwhile shown preferablyas of uniform size, need not be'so, the size,

. and. locked to prevent access to. the contents thereof except by anauthorized person.

LIhe exterio'rly accessible Visible filing apparae v tus conforming "tothe present inventioncomprises a movable; traveling support or.rackgeherally -indicated.'at 33' comprising abo'ttom 3|,

y 2,526,629 a quick detachable, simply operable pivotal con- I nectionfor the filing units'so that quick attach-* a vertically directed backwall 32 and end walls 33 and 34 suitably secured to both bottom and backwall, thus leaving the carrier or rack open at the front (that is,toward a file operator or desk user) and top. Disposed on the top andpreferably extending along both ends thereof fore and aft are tracks 35of channel section (although some other preferred design might beemployed) such tracks being suitably secured to the top in anydesirablemanneni although screws or bolts 36 are illustrated. The endsof therack Eli are provided on the under side with a pair of alignedrollers 3? carried byvbrackets 58 either formed integrally or attachedto the bottom in any suitable orldesired manner. The rollers are of asize and shape best suited for accommodation to the tracks 35;Obviously, other types of suitably comp'lemental tracks and rollers maybe employed. as long as they provide for proper guidmg of the rackwithout any accompanyin binding. Approximately midway) of the-end" walls33 and. 3 -liadjacent the near; edges thereof (the edges nearest 3:,user), thereissecuredw a: transverse substantialrod ea whichaprovides'for 'aitwo-fold purpose; that of substantia'llyrbracingthe end walls .ofthe rash and serving'zas' azrail .for? axpurpose which; will ibe mo'rerfully-apparent? herein:-

after. a v

For filing units generally indicated at ifli theret is -provided: a:novel arrangement; consisting:- in;

' sockets ie;- of readily interchangeable: extension".

studs? i=1 whichma'yini turnhave threadedire' duced 1 ends 48; f or'theireoeption' of 1 either: furthen uniform? extension studsor (as:shown' in*. Fig- 1 .366574; 5 and 6);terminalistuds' lii thertop andbettom ones or whichrmay havareduoed' endsiib whilet-the center: one;E9. has" a' reducedineol: 5J1

. adj acent its-1- free: end? which: in: turn terminates in a head 52.The studs; and-1 their: extensions; if: employed; serve as. binding:postsgfor: filing: sheetssfifi s-uitably perforated-forthreadingatlieres 0112. Thereduced: ends 5d and ii-hreceiveithereom a;limiting loan 53: providedwith complemental: recesses orapert-ures- 54"for ends 583 and: 211 611:- larged aperture 5 5 suflicient tospass .the;headxi2i. Aperture 55.-isso airange'd: with respect to: apertures 5 andtheme-ad: 57Z-lis:se disposed assto pere mit threading; of: the: bar 53:over the? head: and" ontolthereduced; portion 51 so 1 as to require:VflI'J-J tical upward-shifting of the bar before threadingi of apertures5%; over ends Thus, .upon? thread? ing of the bar upont-heireduced freeends. (xii-the studs, the lower edge'of-lapertureti engagessthe; underside. of: the reduced? portion; 5|" providing-z rigidity for thebinding-post assembly-sandal: the: same time not'disturbingtheparallelism= or. the; plurality of posts. A catch-plate5%:havingrside edge-flanges file embraoinglthez edges of: ban 53%for;slidable movement/thereon, .as;providedadjacentitsiloweredge with;downwardly directed: slot. or: notch 58 of a width adapting it forfrictionalenzgagement with the reduced portion 5i of extension 49;behind: head 52 and. such: engagement; presents'a detachable yet-t rigidconnection oft bar 53 with therends ofthe binding posts. With; bar 53-fastened in place,- the-filing; unit isligidl andso-securedras-topreventaccidentall displace2- ment. while at. the? same time, the: bar may be:

, making entries.

of the drawer is preferably the one nearest the" iluickly and readilyremoved for additions or removal of filed matter. l

Each unit 40 is preferablyremovablyattached to the -rod 39 by adetachable connection com-' prising a downwardly hooked'lug' 59 rigidlysup-i portedupon'flange 43 of the angle member 4| the under edge of thehook conformingto the contour of rod 39 which for thesakejof providing abetter pivotal connection, 'is' circular in cross-section. Thisconnection is completed by'a slidable upwardly directed hook 6!! havingflanges 6| provided with parallel vertical slots 62 engaged over theshanks of beaded studs 63 carried by fiangefit. One end, the upper of acoil spring 64 bears against the underside of the slidable hook 5D, thelower end being anchored against the upper flange of a lug 65 suitablyrigidly secured to flanged? in alignment with hook 60.

Thus, between hooks 59 and 60 theyserve as opposed clamping jawsembracing rod 39; Due to the yieldability ofv jaw Bll,the grippingaction is accompanied by only slight friction permitting" of readypivoting of the unit 49 about rod 39 froma filing positionshown inFigure 3 to onewith the normally upper end of the unit in a positionresting on the top of the "desk whereuponthe filed matter may be readilyinspected. Since the-lengths of the posts may bevaried for convenience,the filed matter may be'loosely carried by the posts to permit ofopening in the manner of a book for making entries, if necessary'ordesired in the course of handling.

With the units 40 set-in the position shown in Figure 3, the rack as maybe moved fromthe position shown in Figure 2, forwardly or'toward anoperator or user to any desired proximity to such operator or user.Thus, inspection of or access to any of the files carried by the rack3i! may be had just as readily by a person seated at the desk asby onestanding adjacent to it. Since the rack may be moved away from the nearedge of the desk to the far edge, with the filing units folded away, themajor of the desk top is available for use in other routine matters.

To provide for readily concealable filing of matter or matter which needbe inspected only infrequently, each of the drawers may alsobe arrangedto receive filing units of the character above described. In adaptingthese units to such a drawer 29, it is preferable that one side wall lilextending the full height of the drawer while the opposite one ll be ofan extent somesary entries or to withdraw or replace filed matter, anyof the unitsmay be readily rotated out. of such position about thesupporting rods when the carriersleither carrier 35) or drawers 29) areshifted to suitable access positions. Should it be desired to displaceany unit for one reason or. another, this may be simply and easilyaccoin plished' by'shifting hook 6B and removing the unit from itsassociated rod. "It may well be desired that the units be of uniformsize in which case they would be readily interchangeable from theexposed file to any drawer and vice versa.

In the event that the arrangement is employed in a business orenterprise where the filing units v must he often removed or replaced,there may be provided a simple readily accessible and operableconnection such, for example, as shown in Figure 11. In this case, thereis a rigid hook 8i! suitably secured to thesupporting element ll.Opposed to this hook is'a movable hook ill provided with barrels 82carried on a hinge pin 83, carried in turn by a pair of ears or ba rels84 extending from a supporting plate wl may be suitably secured to theelement fi l. A-spring 8B is so interposed between plate 85and hool: 8i

aboutpin 83'to normally urge such hook toward 7 hook 8Q. The spacingbetween these 'hooksis sufficient toproperly embrace either rodfiil or"F2 as the case may be. Hook (ii is further pro vided with a rigidhandleextension 8? which is of a suitable length to be readilypresentable for access when it is desired to remove the associated file.

Although in both forms of connecting hooks spring means are employed,the gripping action in both cases on the rods 39 andlZ is of suchfrictional extent as to permit of ready rotation of the filing unitabout its support rod and at the same time, ready longitudinal slidingof the unit 1 along the rod. Thus, any unit may be slid first what lessthan half the depth of the drawer although this may be varied asoccasion demands.

A rod 12 similar in character to rod 39 of the exposed rack or carrier30 is anchored at one end in a recess in the forward wall 13 of thedrawer while the far end of the rod '52 may be removably nested in anupwardly directed notch 14 provided in a plate l'li secured to the innerface of rear wall it of the drawer. The file unit employed is in allrespects like unit 45 and is normally disposed in filing position in themanner shown in full lines in Figures 2 and 9. When it is desired tohave access to the enclosed or normally concealedfiling unit, the draweris opened and the unit swung about rod l2 toward the user until theangle member ll and bar 53 rest upon the upper edge of the reduced wallH of the drawer when the unit contents or files may be separate orunfolded for perusal or access for Obviously, the reducedwall 4| userlscthat thiswould be the right wall of the left section of drawers while.it would be the left and then rotated or rotated first and then slidalong the rod. 1 It should be noted that the rods 39 and 72 aresufficiently spaced from the opposite walls of the carrier and drawer toadequately clear such walls in rotation.

While there are disclosed several preferred forms of the invention, itis intended to be merely exemplary and not limiting. It should beapparent to those skilled in the art that variations may be resorted towithout departing from the essence and spirit of the invention.

What is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A filing desk comprising a, base and a top, guiding means carriedby'said top, a carrier adapted to travel along said guiding means, a

drawer in said base, a rod carried by said carrier, a rod carried bysaid drawer, and filing mechanism including means adapted to be slidablyconnected with each rod for interchangeable disposition of said filingmechanism.

2. A filing desk comprising a base and a top; guiding means carried -bysaid top, a carrier adapted to travel along said guiding means, a drawerin said base, a rod carried by said-carrier and said drawer, and filingmechanism including

